International Science Community Association Research Journal of Recent Sciences 2277-2502 7 4 2018 04 2 Fluoride contamination in groundwater, soil and cultivated foodstuffs of India and its associated health risks: A review 36 47 EN U. Thakur 1 Department of Zoology, Government Digvijay PG Autonomous College, Rajnanadgaon-491441, Chhattisgarh, India M. Sharma 2 Department of Zoology and Biotechnology, Government V.Y.T.P.G. Autonomous College, Durg-491001, Chhattisgarh, India N. Mishra 3 Department of Zoology and Biotechnology, Government V.Y.T.P.G. Autonomous College, Durg-491001, Chhattisgarh, India K. Damle 4 Department of Zoology, Government Digvijay PG Autonomous College, Rajnanadgaon-491441, Chhattisgarh, India S. Tripathi 5 Department of Zoology, Government Digvijay PG Autonomous College, Rajnanadgaon-491441, Chhattisgarh, India Gajala Tazwar 1 Department of Chemistry, Janki Devi Bajaj Government Girls College, Kota-324001, Rajasthan, India Naveen Mittal 2 Department of Chemistry, Janki Devi Bajaj Government Girls College, Kota-324001, Rajasthan, India Vijay Devra 3 Department of Chemistry, Janki Devi Bajaj Government Girls College, Kota-324001, Rajasthan, India Rizal Leela M. 1 Phuentsholing Higher Secondary School, Ministry of Education, Chukha, Bhutan Dem Yanki 2 Phuentsholing Higher Secondary School, Ministry of Education, Chukha, Bhutan L.D. Kiran 1 Dept. of Zoology, Govt. Digvijay College, Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgar), India S. Gupta 2 Dept. of Zoology, Govt. Science College, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India Bhange H.N. 1 Dept of SWCE, CAET, DBSKKV, Dapoli, MS, India Singh P.K. 2 Dept. of SWE, CTAE, Udaipur, Raj, India Ingle P.M. 3 DBSKKV, Dapoli, MS, India Gavit B.K. 4 Dept of SWCE, CAET, Rahuri, MS, India Bhattacharya Piyal 1 Department of Environmental Science, Kanchrapara College, West Bengal-743 145, India Samal Alok C. 2 Department of Environmental Science, University of Kalyani, West Bengal-741 235, India > Review Paper 2017 8 1 2018 04 2 Around 200 million people of 29 countries including India are severely affected due to fluoride pollution. Ingestion of fluoride beyond the World Health Organization recommended maximum permissible level (1.5 mg/l) is associated with dental and skeletal fluorosis and other toxic responses while lacking of fluoride intake is associated with dental caries. Minerals like apatite, fluorite/ fluorspar, topaz and mica get weathered naturally and provide fluoride to soils. In site-specific cases some industries (mainly phosphorous fertilizer plants; steel, aluminum, zinc, smelting industries; glass and ceramic industries, etc) are also responsible for fluoride contamination of soils. Irrigation with fluoride-contaminated water transfers fluoride to crops, vegetables and fruits. This bioaccumulation contributes further fluoride to the food chain in addendum to the drinking water route, and thus it is causing larger risk to the already fluoride-contamination affected population. Moreover, this new avenue of fluoride highly endangers the most susceptible infants and children towards dental fluorosis. The ‘Nalgonda’ and ‘activated alumina’ processes are the most commonly used defluoridation techniques of drinking water. But, a suitable, efficient, user-friendly and cost-effective technique for defluoridation is yet to be developed. Equal emphases are to be given on creation of awareness in people regarding fluorosis and restriction of usage of fluoride-contaminated irrigation water. Copyright@ International Science Community Association